Thinking about an overland trip to Mexico, but don’t know where to go? In this article, I share with you why the tiny but beautiful mountain village of San José del Pacífico, Mexico should be on your destination list!
Yes, it is true: San José del Pacífico is the magic mushroom capital of Mexico. That alone puts this remote village on the map for tourists from around the world.
But San José del Pacífico is so much more than magic mushrooms! It’s small-town life way up high in the mountains, where chickens cross the road all day long, everything is “just down the street,” and ocean-view sunsets light up the sky in orange, pink, and red.
Even if you’re not into magic mushrooms, but you like remote destinations and nature, the beautifully sweet mountain town of San José del Pacífico is a must-see. In this article, I’ll share with you what’s so special about San José del Pacífico, what to do, and our overland vanlife experience.
Table of Contents
What is San José del Pacífico?
San José del Pacífico is a small, welcoming community in the mountains south of Oaxaca City. Magic mushrooms are, admittedly, the reason why many travelers come, but they stay for the beautiful landscape, friendly people, and fresh mountain air. Every day we hear the gobble-gobble of turkeys, the bleating of goats and sheep, and the barking of dogs. Approximately 600 residents live among a constant flow of tourists.
La gente (the people) here understand the value of a slow pace of life, where neighborly love and a tight-knit community means more than the limitations of small-town living or big personal ambitions. It’s a feeling that very few people get to appreciate until they can experience this peaceful life.
There’s a Mexican song called Julianta that encapsulates this life perfectly.
Julianta, by Joan Sebastian:
Quiero volver/ sí, sí, quiero volver/ (I want to return/ yes, yes, I want to return)
A ese pueblo en la montaña/ (To this village in the mountains)
Donde tengo mi cabaña/ (Where I have my cabin)
Y mi razón de ser/ (And my reason to be)
Como añoro, como extraño/ (How I miss it, how strange)
Mi caballo, mi rebaño, y mi perro fiel/ (My horse, my flock, and my faithful dog)
Quiero volver/ sí, sí, quiero volver/ (I want to return/ yes, yes, I want to return)
Con mis padres, mis hermanos, mis amigos, mis paisanos/ (With my parents, my brothers, my friends, my countrymen)
Yo quiero volver/ I want to return
Several locals were blasting this song on repeat on Navidad (Christmas) and I can understand why. It is incredibly catchy, with simple lyrics to reflect the simple way of life. Give it a listen!
What to do at San José del Pacífico
So now you’re thinking, “I get it – it’s a lovely little friendly town, but what can I do in San José del Pacífico?”
I’ll give you the highlights but the beauty of this destination is not to force activities and set up itineraries. It’s a place to relax, to meander, to forget the clock, to do whatever you feel like in the moment.
Magic Mushrooms
Magic mushrooms, called hongos, are plentiful here. They have been traditionally used in ceremonies since ancient times, and the Mexican government permits them for this purpose. But they are also openly sold to travelers, almost everywhere, from hostels to convenient stores. The standard price (as of late 2019) seems to be 500 MXN per dose, though you can find it for less if you ask around.
In the off-season, the mushrooms are sold dried or preserved in honey. We’re told they are a little more potent when fresh.
If you go with dried mushrooms, you need to soak them in hot water. This gets some of the dirt off and creates a mushroom tea for drinking. You’ll likely need to use your hands to remove the remaining dirt. To eat the shrooms themselves, mix them with peanut butter or something similar – this helps them go down better, and hides the taste and unpleasant crunch of the dirt you are inevitably consuming.
If you go with honeyed mushrooms, they’re usually already cleaned. Mix some of the honey with hot water to make a tea, and then eat the mushrooms as they are.
The mushrooms here are not quite as strong, “magically” speaking, as other varieties. No one is going crazy or getting uncontrollably psychedelic here, in case you think this is a wild party town. It’s all very respectful and joyful. Of course, everyone has a different tolerance, so please consume responsibly. The town is full of outdoor areas to sit and enjoy the views with good company. İAndale!
Hikes
Within and just outside of San José del Pacífico are many walking trails, often forged by locals as shortcuts home. Take your time; relish in the contrast between the green, shady, quiet trails and the paved roads they started from.
The thing about these paths is that there are no signs. My suggestion is to wander – and homeowners here are accustomed to path-wanderers. They, or their dogs, will tell you if you’re entering private property. The discovery is part of the fun!
Okay, if you insist: I’ll give you two hikes, but the rest is up to you!
Hike 1:
Walk south (away from Oaxaca City) down the main “highway.” After you pass the short strip of restaurants and stores, you’ll see a big dirt pullover on the left side. Here is a trail that heads downhill into the valley.
Hike 2:
Head up to La Cumbre hostel. This is the biggest backpacker’s hostel (a.k.a young hippie party hostel) in San José del Pacífico, and worth checking out for the balcony views even if you’re not staying there. At the entrance of the La Cumbre property, you’ll find a trail that continues up toward the right.
Sunsets
The “del Pacífico” of San José del Pacífico comes from the ability to see the Pacific Ocean, far off in the distance, from a vantage point 8,000+ feet above sea level. What this means is that the sunsets are especially fantastic here. While many of us have seen ocean sunsets from the beach, to see an ocean sunset from high up in the mountains is a completely different experience!
As I write this, I am staring at the changing blues, oranges, and reds of the sun setting over the Pacific Ocean. We visited in late December, so it was cold and windy in the evenings. Dress appropriately and pack a headlamp, because after the sun goes down, it gets very dark.
I have to note that not every property has a view of the sunset. While there are many viewpoints in town, some face only the mountains or the valleys. Pick your spot wisely! (Check out the VanLife section below for the best spot to boondock with an amazing view of the sunset.)
Temazcal
San José del Pacífico is also known for temazcales. A temazcal is the ancient practice of healing by steam bath, traditional to Mesoamerican religion and medicine. It was used by priests, warriors, and even women giving birth, believed to cleanse and heal both the body and spirit.
What is a Temazcal?
In simpler terms, here’s what you can more or less expect, depending on the specific ritual or temazcalero (temascal shaman):
The temazcal is performed inside a small, domed hut, made of mud, clay, or stone. It is perpetually dark and moist inside. Participants sit around a pile of heated volcanic rocks, a bucket of water, and a combination of medicinal herbs tied into a tight bunch. The herbs are dipped in water and smacked repeatedly onto the hot stones. This action creates steam, which is said to release the minerals from the volcanic rocks and the medicinal qualities of the herbs. Expect a lot of sweating, deep breathing, and maybe even chanting too. A temazcal can last anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours, a long time to sit in a tiny hut filled with steam, for those who aren’t accustomed to it.
A temazcal provides both physical and spiritual benefits. The sweating flushes your body of toxins and impurities while improving your blood flow for rejuvenation. The steam clears your pores and cleanses your skin. The ritual (and probably the struggle of sitting tight while your body yells for fresh air) resets your mental, emotional, and spiritual self.
On the Search for a Temazcal
I wanted to do the Yolotl Paky Temezcalli with temazcalero Paco, after several recommendations from locals. It took all morning for me to track down his hut since he wasn’t answering Whatsapp or Facebook messages. When I finally got there, I was told that they would not be holding any temazcales for another 2 weeks! Too bad for me. (To find Paco, walk up the paved road through San José, past the Telesecundaria school on your right, until you see a large tree on the right with signage for ‘Temazcalli,” pictured below. Do not pass Cecyte, the school on the left side. Take the dirt path, and you’ll eventually see signs for ‘Casa de Paco’ and ‘Yolotl Paky.’ It’s a long walk, but a lovely hike through the mountain.)
I asked several other Temazcal places, but due to insufficient demand, many of them were not holding ceremonies. By 4 pm, I was about to give up when I finally got a response from Temazcal Cuatro Elementos, with Navarro. Cuatro Elementos is a short drive or a 15-minute walk north of town along the highway – every moto-taxi driver should know it by name.
Temazcal Cuatro Elementos
Navarro’s property is picturesque, with several small stone huts and decorative mushroom motifs. He explained the benefits of the herbs (eucalyptus and chamomile, among others) and the process of the temazcal. We crawled into the hut and he gave us instructions from outside. I was a little surprised at this, as I had expected him to lead us through the ceremony personally.
Within our ~45 minutes of sweating and deep breathing in the sauna, he added freshly heated rocks four times, and gave us a cup of water each for drinking or cooling off. The scents of the herbal vapors were my favorite aspect. One by one, we each left the sauna and showered in spring water, rinsing off all the toxins and grime we’d rubbed from our skins. Lastly, we poured the lukewarm herbal ‘tea’ over our heads. This cool shower is meant to close all the pores and refresh the body after such heat and dehydration.
My Take:
My temazcal with Cuatro Elementos was less spiritual than I expected, but I still very much felt the physical benefits. I walked back from the temazcal feeling detoxified, comforted, and refreshed – and hungry, as he’d promised! At 200 MXN per person, I thought it was worth it for the experience and the cleansing health benefits of the herb-infused sauna.
Yoga
If sweating in a sauna isn’t your thing, you can still break a sweat practicing yoga. I didn’t do this myself, but yoga sessions are offered by Nido de Sacred Semillas, a quaint little place accessible through the stairs to La Cumbre hostel. Sessions are 11:00 am on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturdays, for 100 MXN.
VanLife in San José del Pacífico
DangGoodLife Note: If you’re unfamiliar with vanlife and our DangGoodLife story, here’s the short version: My husband, dog, and I have been driving through Mexico in our 2015 Ford Transit high-roof van. We converted this van into our casa rodante (rolling home) with our own two hands, so it has everything we need to live comfortably on the road. We share our travels through DangGoodLife to help others plan their overland journeys through Mexico.
Where We Stayed in San José del Pacífico
“El Derrumbe Hospedaje” has two cabañas for rent and a dirt lot for a few vehicles or tents, whatever happens to come by. The owner is a kind woman named Dionesia, who lives with her son Alejandro and her two sweet dogs (Bongo and Amber) in a house down below. She doesn’t have a specific price for vehicle-dwellers – it’s just “whatever your heart can afford.” This is simply the best spot for vanlife!
We found the boondocking site on iOverlander, an excellent resource for overland travelers around the world.
What you get:
- Access to a toilet and showers. Like many homes here, the shower is warmed with firewood, so the host needs about 30 minutes to heat the shower. It gets very dark at night; headlamps are recommended.
- Access to a fire pit with rustic benches. You can ask Dionesia for some madera (wood) for your fire. She also gave me a piece of ocote wood to use as kindling. Ocote is an amber-colored pine treasured since ancient times for its remarkable flammability. I found it so beautiful, like rock crystal candy, that I wanted to eat it as much as I wanted to burn it!
- A dirt parking spot that overlooks the town, mountains, valleys, and, most importantly, the sun setting over the ocean, right from the comfort of your vehicle/home. I said earlier that not every place has a view of the ocean, but this one certainly does. We also set up our camping chairs, picnic table, and BBQ grill, making this spot the best “front yard” a boondocker can ask for!
- Starry nights. The property is up in the hills. So, even though the town is only a 15-minute walk away, there is far less light pollution (and other pollution) up here. This means you get a wonderfully dark view of the stars.
- Two precious dogs to hang out with 😊
Boondocking Elsewhere in San José del Pacífico
If you don’t want to stay at the fantastic El Derrumbe Hospedaje, there aren’t many other options in this small town where cleared, flat land is a limited resource. There are some parking spots, but they are usually attached to a business, home, or public space. It is unlikely you will be able to stay for very long, or without asking someone’s permission, which they may give you or not.
Our friends received permission to park in front of the town’s library, but in the evening, they were asked to move behind the library – next to a dumpster and a community shelter. They didn’t like that, so they moved again down to the main road, where they asked to park in front of a restaurant. The restaurant owner told them they could stay only until 6 am. All night, I was told, trucks blared their lights and blasted their horns.
Needless to say, I highly recommend El Derrumbe Hospedaje!
Story Time: Party in the House!
Alejandro (of El Derrumbe Hospedaje) told me that this land has been in his family for 150 years. They are beloved members of this community, which means his home is often a gathering spot.
On our first day here, we returned to the van to find a dozen men sitting around one of the cabanas. They were fundraising for La Gran Fiesta San José, when the town celebrates its namesake, Saint José, from March 16 – 21 every year. The fundraising process is a party in itself because they don’t just knock on the door, collect money, and move on – the tradition is to hang out, drink, and otherwise horse around as part of the fundraising.
So, of course, we joined them. We were invited to tepache (a drink of fermented pineapple and raw sugar), Victoria cervezas, and huge shots of mezcal poured from a small gas canister. As a male, Jon was served significantly more mezcal than I was, and he quickly regretted accepting their generous hospitality. I don’t know if Jon will ever drink mezcal again!
By the end of their visit, we were inspired to donate to this gran fiesta. The leader of the group whipped out a journal where I could write down my name and my contribution. We were given an open invitation to the fiesta in March, which I certainly hope to attend.
Then, on Christmas, another lively group gathered in the evening, with music, beer, and warm ponche (fruit cider or tea). We were too cold and spent our time in the van, but it was heartwarming, especially on Navidad, to witness these familial festivities.
And, on another night, we were enjoying a lovely bonfire when I heard singing. I stood up and saw a line of people hiking up the hill, holding candles, gently singing Christmas hymns. It was a posada, a ritual re-enactment of Mary and Joseph’s search for lodging in Bethlehem. While we did not join them, we were told that this celebration includes live music, fireworks, and steaming hot tamales.
(For all the nerds out there like us, I now call this moment “wood elves,” an homage to The Lord of The Rings: Fellowship of the Rings. In the extended version, Sam & Frodo spy elves in the forest, quietly singing as they return home to the Undying Lands. This is how I felt, spying the candle-lit posada.)
Services in San José del Pacífico
There are a handful of grocery stores, convenient stores, and comedores (casual restaurants). There are two bakeries, a couple of cafes, and a laundry service (35 MXN per kilo, about twice the cost of laundry in the city). Everything else appears to be hostels, hotels or cabana-style villas.
There are no ATMs. There are no gas stations, but vendors sell gas in gas canisters all along the mountain roads. Come prepared with efectivo (cash) and gas!
At least one of the cafes has WiFi. Cell service is spotty, but not difficult to locate.
As with much of Mexico, if you can’t find something you need, just ask around.
When to Go to San José del Pacífico
San José del Pacífico is way up high in the mountains. In summer, it is always cooler than the lowlands. In December, when we visited, it was warm only by the power of the sun. January and February are the coldest, not to the extent of snow, but you will find lots of cold rain. For vanlife, this means perfection at any time of the year!
The Drive Up to San José del Pacífico
From Oaxaca, you would take Highway 175 southbound for about three hours to reach San José del Pacífico. The road is decent, with many topes (speedbumps) at each village to keep Mexico’s wily drivers in check. Because of the farmlands here, we encountered several animals – dogs, goats, cows – crossing the roads during our drive.
The last half hour or so of the drive is a curvy, two-lane road with gorgeous mountain views on either side. Some sections are purely vertigo-inducing, without much between your vehicle and the edge of the precipice.
For these reasons, please, please, do not make this drive at night (or any other drives, in my opinion). Hopefully, these unexpected topes, obstacles, roadkill, and deathly cliff-drops are enough to dissuade you.
Potential Stop: Ocotlán Market
San José del Pacífico is a very small village. There is no ATM. Your best option to stock up, in between Oaxaca City and San José del Pacífico, is the town of Ocotlán.
Ocotlán is a city known for its Friday tianguis (market), a huge indoor/outdoor market that attracts local villagers to buy and sell wares, groceries, and prepared meals.
While Friday is certainly “market day,” the indoor market is open every day of the week. Just like all mercados (markets) in Mexico, you will find fruits, vegetables, bread, meat, and prepared meals within. Within walking distance, you’ll also find several ATMs, your last chance before San José del Pacífico, to my knowledge.
Potential Stop: Monjas
If you can’t make it to San José del Pacífico (you already know my feelings about doing the drive at night), a great place to stop is in Monjas. You’d have about an hour left of your drive to San José del Pacífico.
In Monjas, we parked next to a church (found on iOverlander) and asked permission to stay the night (Puedo pasar la noche afuera en una camioneta?). As the church caretaker promised, it was a quiet and safe place to spend the night.
Other Planning Tips
Here are a couple tips to help you plan your trip, whether you are boondocking or renting a place:
- Pick a place to stay that is uphill. Though the town is small, there is a big change in elevation from one spot to another. Staying uphill from the town means the air is fresher and cooler. Plus, you get a better view. Down in the town, you’ll be dealing with vehicle exhaust, wood smoke, and even trash fires.
- Dress in layers. The day can alternate between hot and cold very quickly. One moment you’re chilled by the wind, and the next you’re sweating under the sun, huffing and puffing your way back uphill.
- The mountain roads are curvy and steep. If you’re riding passenger (especially if you’re taking a bus up here) you may want to dose yourself up with Dramamine.
- Come prepared. As mentioned in the ‘Services in San José’ section above, bring enough cash and gasoline for your trip. Also, meat is more expensive in San José, though eggs, produce, and honey are very inexpensive.
I hope this helps you to prepare for VanLife in San José del Pacífico!
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact us at hello@DangGoodLife.com.
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With sincere gratitude,
Lien & Jon
